Air conditioning device



Nov. 12, 1940. J. VAN VLIET- AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Sept. 13, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet ,R WW 0 w a M Patented Nov. 12, 1940' UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE,

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an air conditioning device, and has more particular reference to adevic in which the air is washed and cleaned before being discharged therefrom An important object of the invention is the provision of an air conditioning apparatus in which the incoming air is forced successively through two layers of finely divided particles of moisture or water sprays, thereby washing the air and adding sufficient moisture so as to temper and cool it.

A further important object of the invention is the provision in such an air conditioning device of baflie means which are so arranged as to guide the, air successively through two water sprays and then over the surface of a body of water before the air is discharged from the device.

, Another important object of the invention is the provisionin an air conditioning device of- 20 novel means for producing a fine water spray,

which comprises an element adapted to be rotated at a high rate of speed to discharge water therefrom by centrifugal force and which has inlet means associated therewith and extending into a body of water so as to draw water therefrom without unduly agitating said body of water.

A further object of the invention is the provision in an air conditioning device having such a spray generating means of a plurality of tubular members which pass, through the body of water or other cooling medium and through which the air is forced to further cool it before it is discharged from the device. 3

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. a

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is'a vertical sectional view of a pre ferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fi'gl 1 of a modifled form of the invention. o Referring more particularly to the drawings, a

casing of the air conditioning apparatus which comprises an inner wall i2, an outer wall I! and insulating material ll such as felt, asbestos, or the like, inserted between the wall portions l2 and I3, respectively. Mounted ona shelf l5 reference numeral ll indicates in general the" within the casing II is an electric motor IS. The motor I6 is adapted to drive a blower I! by ,means of a-beit Ill. The blower I1 is located" within a substantially cylindrical member'or duct 7 I9. While only one cylindrical member. I! is 5 shown, it is understood that several such ducts may be used if desired. The blower I! has a J plurality of blades 2| on its inner surface and is rotatable on a shaft 22, which is horizontally disposed and may be of suilicient length to en- 10 able several blo'wers I! to be placed thereon. If t the blower i1 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1), air is drawn in through a suitable opening 23 formed in the upper part of the casing II and through inlet apertures 24 provided in the cylindrical member IS. The air is then forced downwardly, as indicated by the arrows, until it strikes a'bailie or deflecting member 25 which reverses the iiow of the air forcing it upwardly until it strikes a second baille or defleeting member 26. The air will then pass downwardly and over a body of water 21 through an outlet opening provided in the lower part of the casing H. In one typeof installation of the device, the outlet 28 may lead into a furnace, or

the like, indicated generally by reference numeral 29.

A spray wheel 3| is rotatably mounted at 32 on the deflecting member 26, and comprises a dish-shaped member 33 and a shallow fluid re-- taining member 34. A' plurality of tubes are formed integrally with or secured to the member 34, extending downwardly and converging so as to intercepteach other below the body of water 21. The lower ends of the tubes 35 are open 35 and have a cutaway portion 35 in each of them so that when the wheel 3i is rotated, water is drawn up through the tubes 35 into the retaining member 34. As the wheel revolves, water is I ejected from the retaining member 34 and passes 40 through an opening formed by the loosely fitting plate member 33 which fits over the retaining member 34. As the water passes outwardly, it is divided into finely divided, particles and forms a sheet or spray through which the air, '45 as it passes downwardly from the cylindrical member I9, is forced to pass twice, due to the shape of the baflies 25 and 25. The air which passes through this finely divided spray is washed and a certain amount of moisture, is rera ned in thelair. "The"surp1usmoisture, upon striking the member 25 will flow downwardly through the opening 31 and back into the body of water 21. Also, any surplus moisture which might be carried by the flow of air will be trapped is connected to a. pulley 45 fastened upon the shaft 22. In order to provide means for' stopping the spray wheel 3| from rotating, a lever 46 is placed within the casing having its end 41 L-shaped so that by simply rotating the lever 46 the end 41 will strike'the disk 4| and raise the same away from the driving member 42.

A secondary air inlet opening 48 is formed in i the casing II in order that the air might be allowed to pass ,therethrough in the event the blower II should stop and thus prevent the furnace, or the like, from overheating or burning up. A swinging door 49 isfastened to the inner casing I} adjacent the opening 43 and is adapted to swing inwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 1. This swinging movement is caused by the arm 5| which is fastened to the door 49 and has an adjustable weight 52 placed thereon, which is set in such a position that when no air is blown through by means of the blower II, the weight 52 will cause the door 41 to swing inwardly.

Water is supplied to the casing It by means of a valve 53 which is controlled -by a float member 54 so that the level of the body of water 21 ..will always remain constant. An overflow pipe 55 is also inserted in the event the valve 53 should become'stuck and allow water to flow constantly. When it is desired to use the air conditioning apparatus as a cooler as wellf-as an air washer, the flow of air may be passed Q directly through the unfired furnace, or the like,

23 or may be diverted into suitable other passages and a secondary cooling means is provided therefor. The lower portion of the outer wall I3 is formed with a plurality of small apertures 55 and a small drip pipe 51 is placed in the insulating material l4 and a quantity of water is allowed to flow therefrom and moisten the insulating material I4. It will be seen that as the moisture passes through the aperture 58 and evaporates on the outer wall l3, a cooling effect is provided which will cool the body of water 21 and the air passingthereover. This water will be much. cooler than the air in the room.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified embodiment of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. The motor I6 drives the blower by means of the belt l8 and forces theair downwardly, as uided by the baflle members 25 and 26, through the spray from the water wheel 3| and thenthrough a plurality of tubes 53. The tubes 53 pass through the body of water. 21 and provide added cooling means for the cleaned and moistened air. The air then passes from the tubes 53 throughan opening 59 having louvres 6| attached thereto so that the direction of flow of air may be regulated. The'louvres 6| vas shown in Fig. 3 are stationary, but it is to be understood thatadjustable louvresmay also be used. The lower portion of the casing II issimilar in construction to that shown in Fig. 1, having a drip pipe 51 which provides moisture to the insulating material l4 and, as the moisture which passes out of the apertures 56 evaporates,

cooling will result and maintain a temperature within the casing lower than the temperature on the outside.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I'claim:

1. An air conditioning device, comprising a casing having double walls and porous insulating material therebetween, means for supplying water to the interior of said casing, means for forcing air through said casing, means for cooling and cleaning the air as it is forced through said casing, and means for supplying water to said porous insulating material, the exterior wall of said casing having apertures formed therein to permit the evaporation of the water from said insulating material to cool the interior of said casing and the water therein.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, a blower for forcing air entering the inlet opening out through said outlet opening, a supply of water, means for maintaining said supply of water at a substantially constant depth in the bottom of said casing, means for utilizing the water toform a substantially horizontal, annular spray, baiile means mounted interiorly of said casing above said supply of water for directing the air from the inlet opening first downwardly through one side of the annular spray and thence upwardly through the other side of the same spray, and a second baiile means mounted interiorly of said casing for reversing the flow of air from said spray and directing it downwardly toward said supply of water.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, a blower mounted inthe upper part of said casing for forcing air entering the inlet open ng downwardly through the casing, a supply of water, means for maintaining said supply of water at a substantially constant depth in the bottom of said casing, auxiliary wall members mounted interiorly of said casing for reversing the downward flow of air from said fan and then reversing the air stream again to direct it downwardly toward said body of water and said outlet opening, and means for utilizing the water to form a substantially horizontal, annular spray, comprising a hollow rotatable member mounted upon and supported by a said auxiliary wall member in said air stream at the point of first reversal thereof and having tubular portions extending downwardly into the water in the bottom of the casing.

4. An air conditioning device, comprising a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, means for forcing air entering said inlet opening out through said outlet means for maintaining a body of water at a substantially constant level in the lower portion of said casing, means extending into said body of water for projecting an annular spray of water, and bailie means -mounted within said casing .for directing the entire flow of air-successively first through dif ferent portions of said spray and then over. the surface of said body of water before it is ejected from said casing.

, I JOHN VAN VLIET. 

